Photo credits to Drhtgoonfrom Wikimedia Commons, made available under the Creative Commons CC0 license.

Photo credits to Timothy Tye from the blog Penang Travel Tips

Photo credits to Marufish from Flickr, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

Photo credits to Chongkian from Wikimedia Commons, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Photo credits to Hajotthu from Wikimedia Commons, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

Photo credits to Eleanor Ling from the blog EleanorDreamLand

Photo credits to Timothy Tye from the blog Penang Travel Tips

Photo credits to kekloksitemple.com

Photo credits to Hzh from Wikimedia Commons, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Photo credits to Phalinn Ooi from Flickr, made available under the
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Photo credits to Cmglee from Wikimedia Commons, made
available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
license.

Photo credits to Ah Wei (Lung Wei) from Flickr, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.

Camera Museum

The Camera Museum showcases the evolution of cameras throughtout history. There is also a dark room where visitors can see the transformation of films into pictures. At the end of the museum, there is a café and souvenir shop where visitors can hang out.

Tip: There's a café and souvenir shop inside, so you can hang out around the museum for a bit after the tour.

Sun Yat Sen Museum

The Sun Yat Sen Museum in Penang, located in Armenian Street, used to be the house of Sun Yat Sen himself during his short stay in Penang. Dr Sun Yat Sen was the foremost Asian nationalist figure of the early 20th century. In 1911, he led the Chinese Revolution that ushered in the first republic in Asia. Today, he is regarded as the father of modern China. This museum has an in-house guided tour, so visitors get to gain even more insight about the history of the house and the man who used to live here.

Tip: To get the student pricing, prepare to present your valid identification card.

Georgetown Festival

The Georgetown Festival is an annual event that lasts for about a month, where people will come together to celebrate their passion towards art in many forms. It is one event that shouldn't be missed, as you will be able to experience a vibe unlike any other when you immerse yourself in the festival, together with many others who are passionate about their arts.

Many different performances will be showcased throughout the entire festival, with something different each day. So for an art enthusiast, the excitement is continuous until the end of the festival.

Head over to the museum where there are multiple displays that will guide visitors through the history of Penang. A more contemporary touch was also added to the place by displaying arts provided by local artists. A statue of Francis Light, the founder of Penang, is right in fornt of the place, so identifying this spot shouldn't be too hard.

For those who are interested in the history of Penang and in antique items, this is an ideal place to visit. There are also guides here that will walk you through the museum and explain the history behind each of the displayed historical pieces.

The Clan Jetties here in Penang are settlements for the Chinese immigrants in the past. Houses were built on stilts, so these villages look like they are floating on water. One other thing that makes it unique is the naming of each village. The villages were named after the surname of the people living there. The jetty that people would usually go to is Chew Jetty, and along your walk there, you will be able to buy souvenirs sold by the villages.

Tip: Keep in mind that there are still people living there, so it is best to be mindful of your actions and ask permission whenever you wish to take a picture of their houses.

Batik Painting Museum Penang

In this museum, visitors are exposed to the history of batik painting. Several beautiful exhibits of such art can be seen in this museum. The Batik Painting Museum is definitely one place that art enthusiasts have to visit.

The rich culture of Malaysia resulting from our history is essentially what distinguishes us from some other countries. The Peranakans, for instance, are a group of people who adopted certain ways of the local Malays and the colonial British, resulting in a unique culture in itself. This mansion serves as a museum for those who are interested in gaining insight as to how a typical rich Peranakan used to live in the past, as well as their unique culture.

The history of Penang is depicted through the displays which includes artefacts. Afterwards, in subsequent parts of the museum, there are 3D art displays where visitors get to have a blast taking pictures with them.

3D tricks are illusions created by artists that makes a normal painting look like a three dimensional art. The Penang 3D Trick Art Museum has many exhibits of such art and visitors get to be creative and have fun taking pictures with these paintings.

Note: As this is a temple, it is advisable to dress decently to show respect.

Penang Hill

As Malaysia’s
weather is usually hot, try escaping the heat by going up to the Penang Hill. It
is a hill resort, with several attractions and activities available, such as
the owl museum, temples, love lock and temples.

Travelling here: 31 minutes by car from Sunway Hotel Georgetown

Address: Penang Hill,
Bukit Bendera, Pulau Pinang

Alternative travelling options:

- Catch
the Penang Hill Railway from the station in Air Itam.

Opening hours: 6:30am - 10:30pm

Price:

Malaysians: MYR8/adult, MYR4/child

Non-Malaysians: MYR30/adult, MYR15/child

- There
is a jeep service available and they depart from the Penang Botanic Gardens (it
takes approximately 20 minutes)

- For those who enjoy trekking, there are jungle trails starting from the Penang Botanical Garden that leads you there.

Tropical Spice Garden

The Tropical Spice Garden is an award-winning garden where visitors get to see over 500 species of flora and fauna. There are three trails available which are the Spice Trail, Ornamental Trail and Jungle Trail. If you wish to escape the busy city and get in touch with nature, this is a place worth going to.

Tip1: After that, if you’re interested, they also offer cooking classes where you get to use the spices that you saw earlier and cook out a delicious local cuisine for yourself.

Tip2: Though they do provide mosquito repellent at the entrance, if you’re afraid of getting mosquito bites, perhaps you could bring your own.

Tip3: As you will be walking for quite a while, it is recommended that you wear something more comfortable.

Escape Adventureplay

If you are a thrill seeker, Escape Adventureplay should definitely be on your schedule on your trip here to Penang! This theme park is surrounded by greenery and the activities here encourage visitors to be more active, so not only will you get to have fun, you will also get to experience something different. They take safety precautions seriously, so you’re in good hands.

Travelling here: 40 minutes by car from Sunway Hotel Georgetown

Address: 828 Jalan Teluk Bahang,11050 Penang, Malaysia

Opening hours: 9.00am – 6.00pm (closed on Mondays)

Entrance fee:

Future kid (0-3 years old): Free

Junior kid (4-12 years old): MYR55

Big kid (13-60 years old): MYR83

Super kid (61 years old and above): Free

Tip 1: If you book your tickets online in advance, you might be able to get them at a cheaper price.

Tip 2: Be prepared to spend quite some time here.

Entopia (Penang Butterfly Farm)

Previously known as Penang Butterfly Farm, it was renamed Entopia after renovations. Visitors get to learn more about the beautiful flying creatures, as well as other insects that you can find there. So it’s not just a place for you to observe them, but it’s also a place to learn more about them.

Travelling here: 42 minutes car from Sunway Hotel Georgetown

Address: No 830, Jalan Teluk Bahang, 11050 Penang, Malaysia

Opening hours: 9.00am – 8.00pm (last ticket sale – 6.00pm)

Entrance fee:

MYR49/adult

MYR29/child (4-12 years old)

MYR29/senior citizen (60 years old and above)

Note: Children below the age of 4 and people with disabilities get free entry.

Tip 1: Parking in Penang Island

For visitors that are driving around the city, remember to get your parking coupons that are sold in booklets in convenience stores, parking vendors, some grocery stores and restaurants. You will have to put these coupons on your dashboard every time you park your car at a designated parking spot to display them.

There are several types of coupons sold: half-hourly, hourly, and even daily.

There are also several parking fee zones, so watch out for signboards indicating the operating hours of these spots, in which you will have to use your coupons to park there.

Tip 2: Renting vehicles

Getting taxi rides can be very pricey when you are planning to go to many places, so you could always rent your own vehicle instead.

Cars- Renting a car to drive around Georgetown might not be the best for visitors who are not used to hectic traffic.

Try looking around the city, such as Argryll Street, Farquhar Street or Gottlieb Street. Or, you could even go all the way to Batu Ferringhi,

Motorcycles/Scooters- Compared to cars, motorcycles are definitely cheaper. However, it is more suitable for those who are more adventurous due to the hectic traffic. Make sure that you get a helmet as well, and wear them during your ride.

Try looking around the city, such as near Gurney Drive or Chulia Street.

Bicycles- Alternatively, you could opt for renting a bicycle since most attractions are located near Sunway Hotel Georgetown and with one another, so a bicycle is definitely sufficient for exploring around the city of Georgetown. Make sure that you get a helmet as well, and wear them during your ride.

Try looking around the city such as Armenian Street, or near the clan jetties.

For overseas tourist: International driver’s license is allowed to drive here in Malaysia. Remember to take it with you when renting a car, together with your passport.

For overseas tourist: International license is allowed in order to rent a motorcycle to drive here. Remember to take it with you when renting a car, together with your passport.